Cleaning tool



Dec. 2l, 1937. v H SIEMUND v 2,103,198

CLEANING TOOL Filed March 12, 1936 A ORNEY Patented Dec. 21, 1937 UNITEDSTATES CLEANING TOOL Herman Siemund, Chicago,Y Ill., assignor. toGreenview Manufacturing Company, Chicago,

Ell., a corporation of Application March 12,

7 Claims.

The present invention relates'toimprovements in cleaning tools, and ithas particular relation to cleaning tools or devices of the squeegeetype such as are used generally in the cleaning of windows, floors andthe like.

In the conventional cleaning device of the character described, which isin general use today, the flexible material or wiping edge, such ascomposition, rubber, rubber and fabric, felt, etc., is secured thereinby means of bolts or screws extending through the holder and through thematerial itself. In such devices, only one edge of the flexible materialmay be used and when that has become worn the material must be replaced.Furthermore, the material must be properly and accurately measured andpunched to receive the fastening bolts or screws, which after a shorttime tear through by the strain put on the material during actual use.When this happens the eiiiciency of the device is impaired, and it isnecessary to replace the wiping edge. It is not unusual in devicesofthis type to have vto replace the exible portion long before theusefulness of the material itself is destroyed because of one or more ofthe failures described above.

It is an object of this invention to obviate the disadvantages of theconventional type of cleaning device described above, and to provide adevice of the character described, which is of simple and inexpensiveconstruction, that will securely hold a flexible wiping edge in placewithout requiring the necessity of destroying one edge thereof byperforating it with holes necessary to secure it in the holder;

Another object of the invention is the provision of a cleaning device inwhich the flexible wiping edge may be sold and distributed in rolls fromwhich individual strips may be cut to length and securely inserted inthe holder without requiring any precision measuring and punching forthe purpose of fastening in the holder.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a cleaning tool inwhich the flexible portion or wiping edge may be reverse-:l when oneside has become worn through use, without impairing the usefulness ofthe holder or the means of securing the material therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cleaning holder whichwill permit the use of one or more strips of flexible material withoutimpairing or injuring the usefulness of the tool or its efficiency.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of thecharacter described which will permit the use of strips of material ofvarious Illinois 1936, serial No. 68,488

thicknesses without requiring any adjustment or provision whatsoever.

Other and further objectsand advantages of the invention reside in thedetailed construction of the holder, which result in simplicity, economyand eiciency, and which willv be apparent from the followingdescription, wherein a preferred form of embodiment of the invention isshown, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming aparthereof, in which:

Fig, 1 is a perspective view, with parts broken away, fof acleaningholder embodying the im provements of my invention;

Fig. 2 isa cross-sectional view, partially in elevation, of the deviceshown. in Fig. 1, the same Y being takenf -substantially along the line2-.2 thereof; Y Y, n

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective View of .the L-shapedclamping'bar shownin the drawing of Figs. 1 and 2.; and

Fig. 4 isa fragmentary plan view, on an enlarged scale, of'thecleaningtool shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now in detailto the drawing', there is shown a metallic-U-shaped supporting structure or member I0, having a handle orhandlereceiving means IVI mounted intermediate the top side thereof bymeans of spot welds I2, or other suitable fastening means. The U-shapedmember I9 is formed integrally, having a short lower arm I3, anupstanding back portion I4 Yand a long top arm I6. The extreme outeredge il of the top arm I6 is provided with. an upstanding ange I8, andforwardly extending projections I9 formed integrally therewith, whichprojections I9 extend from'opposite. ends of the arm I6 beyond the frontedge thereof in the same horizontal plane as the ilange I8. Thetop armI6 of the U-shaped memberA I0 is provided with a series of spacedapertures 2|, which are internally threaded to receive b0ltS22 'l Aclamping or locking bar angular construction, having a long nat horif23, of L-shape orV Zontal arm 24 and a short vertical arm 26 having Ywhenthe clamping barY 23 is suspended over the A flange YI8 by means ofits curved edge 21, the projections I9 provide for proper centering andalso prevent any cross-Wise or longitudinal movement or sliding of thetwo members I0 and 23 with respect to one another.

The flexible wiping edge, which consists of one or more strips ofsuitab-le material 3 I, is manually inserted or positioned. between theclamping bar arm 2.4 and the lower arm I3 of the support-` ing memberI6. While I have shown two separate strips of flexible material 3| ofdifferent widths, it is, ofcourse, obvious and optional what number ofstrips are employed, or whether their thicknesses are the same.Manifestly, the widths of material and the thickness thereof may bevaried at the discretion of the operator or user without imparting fromthe utility of the tool or from the limits of the invention.

In assembling the apparatus, the bolts 22 are unscrewed or withdrawnuntil the threaded shank 33 no longer projects entirely through the armI6 of the member III. Then the clamping bar 23 is positioned over theupstanding iiange I8 b-y means of its curved edge 21 between theforwardly extending projections I9. In this position the horizontal arm24 of the clamping bar 23 extends in substantially parallel relationbetween the arms I3 and I6 of the supporting member III, and by reasonof its being pivotally suspended over the flange IS the arm 24 is freeto move within the limits of the space between the two arms I3 and I6 ofthe member I0. The strips of flexible wiping material 3| are thenpositioned in the assembly between the under side of the arm 24 and theupper side of the arm. I3, with the inside edge 32 of the material 3| incontact with the back I4 of the supporting member I0. In this positionthe bolts 22 are threaded through the apertures 2| of the arm I6 untilthey come in contact with the top of the arm 24 and force it tightlyagainst the flexible strips 3| and arm I3, thereby tightly and fixedlysecuring the strips 3| between the arms I3 and 24 by a wedging orclamping action thus obviating the necessity of puncturing the material3| with holes for the purpose of securing it in the holder.

Thus it will be seen that with my improved holder or tool, it ispossible to vary the thickness or number of strips of iiexible materialto be used in the device without difliculty or loss of eihiency, andthat in changing or replacing the wiping material it is only necessaryto cut it to length, either from rolls or long strips, thereby obviatingthe necessity of making precision measurements and punching properlycentered holes to correspond with the spacing of the clamping bolts orscrews. It will also be apparent that, in my improved device, when oneside of the wiping material has become worn and ineflicient, thematerial may be reversed and the opposite edge utilized, which is afeature that is impossible when apertures or notches are cut into theone side for fastening purposes. Consequently, the useful life of thewiping material is increased two-fold bymy novel fastening arrangement,thereby greatly reducing the cost of operating the holder. Furthermore,dealers in such tools need no longer carry large and expensiveassortments of wiping blades or material, out and punched to t differenttypes and makes of tools. Since with my tool any size or thickness ofmaterial may be used.

Attention is directed to the features of the handie II, which is ofhollow construction and formed from a single piece of material, therebybeing of a split construction, which provides for expansion when awooden pole or handle member 34 is inserted therein when the tool is tobe used in cleaning in places, such as floors or windows,

out of reach of the ordinary operator. The hollow handle I I, as bestshown in Fig. 2, is provided with a one piece non-expansible lockingring 36 mounted around the outer edge 31 of the handle I I. This ring 36has a circumferentially extending slot or groove 33 along one sidethereof into which is inserted the end 3'! of the handle I I, and thetwo members are then tightly pressed together forming a tight andpermanent fastening. While the handle II by reason of being formed fromone piece of split construction, will expand upon the reception of awooden pole 34 of slightly large diameter, the locking ring 36 beingintegral prevents expansion or splitting of the extreme outer edge 3lthereof, thereby providing positive means for frictionally maintainingthe hollow handle II and the wooden handle 34 in locking engagementunder ordinary operating conditions, but not preventing their readyseparation when desired.

Although I have only described one modicaa tion which my invention mayassume, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that theinvention is not so limited, but that various modications may be madetherein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from Y thescope of the appended claims.

What I claim is: l. In a cleaning device of the character described, aU-shaped structure having means on one arm thereof for engaging aclamping bar in said structure, an angular clamping bar in saidstructure having means along one side for engaging said means of saidU-shaped structure, a cleaning member having one edge thereof positionedbetween the clamping bar and the opposite arm of said U-shapedstructure, and means for rigidly securing said cleaning member withinsaid U-shaped structure.

2. In a cleaning device of the character described, a U-shaped structurehaving means on one arm thereof for Vengaging a clamping bar in saidstructure, an angular clamping bar in said structure having means alongone side thereof for engaging said means of said U-shaped structure,means for preventing longitudinal movement of said clamping bar, acleaning member having one edge thereof positioned between the clampingbar and the other arm of said U-shaped structure, and means for securingsaid cleaning member lwithin said U-shaped structure.

3. In a cleaning device of the character described comprising a U-shapedsupporting structure having means extending outwardly from one armthereof for engaging a clamping bar in said structure, a removableclamping bar of L- shape construction in said structure having meansalong one side thereof for engaging said first mentioned means of saidU-shaped structure, a cleaning member having one edge thereof positionedbetween the clamping bar and the opposite arm of said U-shapedstructure, and means for securing said cleaning member within saidU-shaped structure.

4. In a cleaning device of the character described comprising a U-shapedsupporting structure having a ange projecting outwardly from one armthereof for engaging a clamping bar in said structure, -a removableclamping bar of L- shape construction in said structure having meansalong one side thereof for pivot-ally engaging said flange of saidU-shaped structure, a cleaning member having one edge thereof positionedbetween the clamping bar and the opposite arm of said U-shapedstructure, and means for securing 75` said cleaning member and clampingbar within said U-shaped structure.

5. In a cleaning device of the character described comprising a U-shapedsupporting structure having handle receiving means mounted intermediateits ends, means extending outwardly from one arm of s-aid U-shapedstructure for engaging a clamping bar in said structure, a removableangular clamping bar in said structure having means along one sidethereof for engaging said rst mentioned means of said U-shapedstructure, means for preventing longitudinal movement of said clampingbar, a cleaning member having one edge thereof positioned between theclamping bar and the opposite arm of said U-shaped structure, and meansfor wedgingly securing said cleaning member and clamping bar within saidU-shaped structure.

6. A cleaning device of the character described comprising a U-shapedsupporting structure having a handle mounted intermediate its ends, saidU-shaped structure having a relative long upper arm and a relativelyshort lower arm, means eX- tending along the edge of said upper arm forreceiving a clamping bar, a removable clamping bar of angular shapehaving an inturned edge along one side thereof for pivotally engagingsaid means when the other side extends inwardly between Y the arms ofsaid U-shaped structure, means eX- tending `outwardly -fromA each sdeofsaid upper arm of said U-shaped structure Vfor preventing longitudinalmovement of said clamping bar, a

member of U-shaped construction, means positioned adjacent one edge forengaging a clamping bar in the supporting member,` an L-srhaped Yclamping bar in the supporting member having a rolled edge along itsshorter side adapted to engage said clamping bar engaging means, asecond means adjacent the rst mentioned means for'Y preventinglongitudinal movement of said clamping bar, a cleaning member having oneedge thereof wedgingly fastened between the long side of the clampingbar and the other'side of said U-shaped member, and means mounted onsaid one side of theVU-shaped member for causing said clamping bar toengage and secure said cleaning member tightly against the other side ofthesupporting member.

' HERMAN SIEMUND.

